c7523

Child's name: Savanna
Number: C7523
Birthdate: 7/96
State: Washington
Listed: August 2009, Updated 9/09

If you have completed an adoption homestudy and would like to have your information forwarded to this child's worker, contact us.

SAVANNA (7/96) is a young teen who responds well to individual attention and affection from caring adults. She does best these days in an environment where she has lots of positive reinforcement and validation, clear rules, expectations, and limits, and highly attentive supervision to help her stay on track. An important gain she has made is her willingness to talk to adults she trusts about her feelings and thoughts. While reading is not yet something that Savanna does for her own enjoyment, she loves to have others read to her. Savanna is pretty adept at entertaining herself and enjoys drawing and coloring, playing house and dress-up, dressing up her dolls, and watching kids’ movies. She also enjoys riding her bike and swimming. Despite her rough early years, Savanna is able to form attachments with new folks. Legally free, Savanna came into foster care originally in February 2004.

Therapeutic supports are in place to help Savanna deal with symptoms of attention difficulties, high energy, and anxiety. She also is continuing her work on strengthening her boundaries, developing good personal safety skills, and dealing with issues of grief, loss, and abandonment. While Savanna has just turned 13, her emotional/social functioning is much younger.

Once Savanna is in her adoptive family, it is likely that she will continue to need this level of support for the foreseeable future. Being willing to participate with her in family counseling during her adoption transition would be a great way for Savanna’s adoptive parents to show their commitment and love. It would also demonstrate to Savanna that they value using such resources to help family members deal with past hurts and grow emotionally and behaviorally.

Savanna enjoys going to school, and for the 2009-2010 year, she will be a seventh grader. The overall academic support she needs will be provided through an individual education plan.

Savanna’s worker is looking forward to hearing from couples and single moms with strong support systems of family, friends, and community resources. Having adoptive parent(s) who have a good understanding of how early neglect and trauma can impact a child’s sense of well being and overall development will be important. Her adoptive parents should also have a good understanding of the residual effects that may be related to exposure to drugs and alcohol in utero. While Savanna will likely be able to become a self-sufficient adult, she will need to know that her family is always behind her and available to her. Of course, her adoptive folks need to take pride in her heritage and help her to feel connected to her Hispanic heritage.

Subsidy and Purchase of Service may be available.

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